The invention relates to check-operated dispensers of snack stuffs or novelties like coin- or slug-operated gumball machines. More particularly, the invention relates to check-operated dispensers of snack stuffs or novelties modified to serve hot snack stuffs including without limitation hot peanuts and so on.
The prior art is provided with an ample variety of gumball banks. Such gumball banks are characterized in having a globe-type "sight glass" reservoir for the gumballs (or other like candies) as well as a coin-operated dispensing mechanism which when a fed a coin and manually cranked, forthwith dispenses the gumball(s). Typical examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,446,957--Dohse et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,443,179--Palmer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,667,848--Gold, or U.S. Pat. No. 5,452,822--Haymond. Additionally, typical U.S. design patents include what is shown by Des. No. 316,276--Weiner, Des. No. 331,997--Nottingham et al., Des. No. 333,681--Stern, Des. No. 370,236--Stockman, and so on.
Of the foregoing referenced patents, the ones most pertinent for purposes allowing the inventive modifications to serve as contemplated by the present invention include the disclosures of Palmer, Gold, Stem and Stockman; or more marginally so, Dohse, Haymond and Weiner.
The group consisting at least of Palmer, Gold, Stem and Stockman all disclose globe-type "sight-glass" reservoirs. These reservoirs typically are assemblies comprising a globe, a detachable cap, and bottom or "bezel" therefor which might be alternatively cup- or dish- or even pan-like in shape. In contrast, the reference of Dohse for example discloses a "baseball" style reservoir which lacks a cap and also appears to lack detachable bottom portion. Regardless, each of at least Dohse, Palmer, Gold, Stem and Stockman will readily accommodate the modifications in accordance with the invention. Such modifications in accordance with the invention include, according to one example of the invention, the provision of a lamp below the globe-type reservoir, the heat from which will provide warmth to the snack stuff contents of the reservoir, as will be more particularly described below. In other words, there is a given "aspect ratio" between the area of a bottom portion (whether separable or not, and whether cup-, dish- or pan-like or whatever) of the reservoir and the volume of the reservoir that ought to be sufficient so that warmth to the bottom will be sufficiently transferred into the reservoir to achieve the desired quantum of warmth in the contents of the reservoir. To look at an example in which the aspect ratio between the measure of the bottom area and the measure of the reservoir volume is too small, is probably to look at the reference of Nottingham. The Nottingham reservoir has a rather narrow, elongated rectangular bottom relative to a substantially high and slender, columnar volume. It is believed that providing low-wattage warming power to such a relatively small bottom is unlikely to sufficiently warm the contents of the reservoir if filled with snack stuffs such as peanuts or similar nut or seed meats.
As mentioned above, the references of Dohse, Haymond and Weiner are relatively more marginally pertinent for purposes of the present invention--not because they have features which detract from incorporation into the present invention, but--because Dohse and Haymond and Weiner include design enhancements which while desirable as design enhancements are also surplusage if too costly to procure. More specifically, the Dohse reference discloses a globe styled as a baseball. The Haymond reference discloses a globe and dispensing mechanism supported high on top of a long spiral chute. The long spiral chute provides visual entertainment as the dispensed gumball rolls spiraling down the chute for ultimate discharge out an outlet. In Weiner, the base stand of the gumball bank is configured as a locomotive. Whereas the locomotive shape of Weiner or the baseball of Dohse are undoubtedly aesthetically pleasing, if one of the minor objects of the invention is to provide the invention in an inexpensive package (without, needless to say, sacrificing durability), then the baseball or locomotive design may simply be excessively costly to produce or procure under the circumstances of the market demand therefor.
To turn to matters concerning terminology, the globe-type "sight glass" reservoirs of the prior art (and such as would be suitable for adoption in the present invention) are not always strictly "globes" nor glass. Several of the references disclose globe-type reservoir shapes which are alternatively partial spheres, pot-bellied, or cylindrical, or have other nonspherical shapes including hourglass figures or boxes with corners. Hence use of the terms "globe(s)," globe-type" and so on by the inventor hereof includes such variety of shapes as well. Also, the reservoirs of the prior art are variously glass or plastic. Such materials as including without limitation glass and plastic are equally suitable for incorporation and use in the globe or reservoir of the check-operated dispenser of hot snack stuffs in accordance with the invention. It is most often true that the globes or reservoirs are transparent. Transparency is not so much a functional requirement as a custom of the industry for allowing patrons of the gumball banks to see what the offerings are. The inventor hereof likewise prefers that his reservoir of his inventive check-operated dispenser of hot snack stuffs also be transparent in accordance with custom, but not to the exclusion of also incorporating translucent or even opaque reservoirs. The reference of Dohse seems to disclose an opaque reservoir (ie., an enlarged scale hollow baseball). "Check" is a term of art in the industry relating to the prior art gumball banks and the like. The term "check" includes coins in the sense that the dispensing mechanisms thereof are most typically "coin-operated" when instead referenced under the rubric of "check-operated." A dictionary definition of "check" includes among others "a sample or unit used for testing or verifying" a standard or criterion. Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (Merriam-Webster 1990). The inventor hereof adopts and uses the term "check" in accordance with both its term-of-art and dictionary meanings and without knowledge of inconsistencies therebetween, including at minimum its meanings indicating coin-, token- or currency-operated dispensing mechanisms.
The patent disclosures referenced above are concerned in major sense with the dispensing of gumballs, and merely at ambient (eg., the local surrounding indoor or outdoor environmental) temperature. The invention on the contrary, is concerned in a major sense with the dispensing of warmed or "hot" (as that term is more particularly explained below) snack stuffs which include without limitation (but most preferably) such snack stuffs as peanuts and like nut or seed meats. The prior art is known to include globe-type, coin-operated dispensing machines which are comparable to the gumball banks disclosed by the referenced patents, but which disclose other types of candies and/or novelties. The modifications of the present invention for converting a gumball machine in accordance with the prior art into a check-operated dispenser of hot snack stuffs in accordance with the invention, could be executed without limitation on such other suitable types of prior art globe-type, coin-operated dispensing machines. One aspect of the invention includes the simple expediency of procuring a readily available, off-the-shelf prior art globe-type, check-operated dispensing machine and modifying and/or converting it into a check-operated dispenser of hot snack stuffs in accordance with the invention. Such modifications and/or conversion include without limitation the provision of a heat source to warm the contents of the globe, as will be more particularly described below.
These and other aspects and objects are provided according to the invention in a check-operated dispensing machine of hot snack stuffs that has a globe which in use contains a snack stuff such as including without limitation peanuts or other comparable nut or seed meats. The globe rests on a stand. The stand is modified from what is conventional in prior art gumball banks or other prior art check-operated dispensing machines candies or novelties in that, the prior art machine is modified to include a heat source such as by way of non-limiting example, an incandescent lamp bulb. The lamp warms the snack stuff contents in the globe. The dispensing machine has a conventional check- (eg., coin-) operated dispensing mechanism which allows a patron to serve him or herself and get a measured amount, or about a hand-full, of such as snack stuff as say hot peanuts.
Additional aspects and objects of the invention will be apparent in connection with the discussion further below of preferred embodiments and examples.